Political Parties

1
Political Parties

• No parties at founding of the republic
• Washington cautioned against their baneful
  effects
• Madison warned against factions
• But Federalists and Anti-Federalists debated
  ratification of Constitution

2
Origins of Political Parties

• Jefferson created the first party in 1796
• Party created to secure opposition in the
  Electoral College to federalist candidate John
  Adams
• Jefferson called supporters Republicans
• Federalists called them Democratic Republicans to
  emphasize the demos or unruly mob

3
Brief History

• 1789-1796 Pre-party period
• 1796-1820 First Party System
• 1800 Jefferson elected with support of Democratic
  Republicans
• election determined in House because Jefferson
  and Burr received equal votes
• 1804 12th Amendment requires separate candidates
  for President V.P.

4
Brief History continued

• 1820-28 Democratic Republicans divided
• Andrew Jackson (populist Democrat)
• John Quincy Adams (National Republican)
• 1828-1856 Second Party System
• 1834 National Republicans renamed Whigs
• 1856-present Third Party System
• 1860 First Critical Election (major
  realignment)
• Republicans nominated Abraham Lincoln
• No. Democrats nominated Stephen Douglas
• So. Democrats nominated John Breckinridge

5
Brief History continued

• Republicans became party of the North
• strong ties to business
• Democrats became party of the South
• Republicans were seen as the party of
  Lincoln--opposed to slavery and the Souths
  attempt to secede
• 1894 Severe recession
• 1896 Second Critical Election
• solidified Republican base
• Republicans nominated William McKinley (Ohio)
  favored high tariffs gold standard
• Democrats nominated Wm. Jennings Bryan favored
  silver coinage

6
Brief History continued

• Republicans won and dominated national politics
  until 1929 and Wall Street crash
• 1932 Third Critical Election
• FDR elected by landslide
• Democrats control presidency for 36 years
• Republicans control presidency for 28 years
• Democrats control House of Representatives for 40
  years (1954-1994)

7
Parties and View of Government
8
Grass Roots Party Organization
9
Traditional Roles of Parties

• Serve as intermediary between citizens
  government
• Screen or recruit candidates, including
  president, for public office
• Contest elections, mobilize voters, and
  increasingly fund candidates
• Organize government (e.g. Congress)
• Serve as agents of accountability (to public)
• Manage societal conflict (organize interests)

10
Responsible Party Model

• Typical of Parliamentary system
• Strong, competitive parties
• Platform represents promise to people
• Majority party selects government leader (e.g.
  prime minister--no divided government)
• Majority party held accountable for living up to
  promises (party discipline enforced)

11
Parties in the U.S.

• Representatives have multiple obligations
• To self (conscience)
• To constituents
• To political party
• Parties operate in multiple domains
• Organize interests of the electorate
• Achieve program goals in government
• Develop loose coalitions in political system

12
Minor Political Parties

• Bolter Parties
• splinter groups within major parties that bolt
• e.g. Progressive Party (liberal Republicans)
  opposed excesses of economic and political power
  introduced initiative, referendum, and recall
• e.g. Reform Party (Ross Perot in 1992 1996)
• Ideological Protest (Marxists, Socialists)
• Single Issue Parties Farm-Labor Coalition
• Take votes from major parties but force
  examination of important issues

13
Endurance of Two Party System

• U.S. is unusual relative to other countries most
  have multi-party systems
• with multi-member constituencies
• proportional representation
• U.S. Procedures favor two-party system
• winner-take-all or first-past-the-post elections
• single member districts
• simple plurality

14
Decline of the Political Party?

• 1960s End of consensus Vietnam protests
• 1968 Democratic National Convention and Chicago
  riots with police brutality
• Democrats reject leadership
• open party participation to women, minorities
• introduce more primaries (direct vote)
• Republicans introduce organizational change
• RNC adopts business practices
• automates mailing lists
• professionalizes fundraising

15
Decline of the Political Party?

• Party identification waning voters are
  increasingly independent
• Fewer citizens involved in party politics
  decreased issue role of parties
• Media and interest groups assume some
  intermediary roles left vacant by parties
• Media personalizes politics politicians respond
  with cult of individual
• Interest groups encourage greater diversity of
  interests society more fragmented

16
Decline of the Political Party?

• Interest groups forced to work within two party
  system
• Parties become big tents for groups with varied
  interests
• Party conventions no longer determine party
  nominee but try to attract media attention
• Parties harness soft money unavailable to
  candidates
• Parties respond to changing times